Excise Dept To Check Illicit Liquor Supply In Poll-Bound Assam

The Assam Excise Department has prepared an action plan to check and control production, distribution and supply of illicit liquor in the state during pre-election and election period.

According to an official release, based on instructions given by ECI, the following action plan has been developed to check and control the production, storage, distribution and sale of illicit liquor and to curtail the transport of illegal inflow of liquor into the state.

Key Highlights:

1. Deputy Commissioner of all districts shall constitute district level task force comprising of Excise and Police officials.

2. Daily reports on enforcement activities shall be furnished by all District Superintendents of Excise showing details of case detection, arrests and seizures made by Police and Excise independently and by Police and Excise jointly and same shall be complied at Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police level also so that there is no ambiguity in seizure data.

3. Deputy Commissioner, Superintendents of police and Superintendents of Excise of districts sharing Inter-State border with neighbouring states of Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Tripura, Nagaland and West Bengal and International Border with Bhutan and Bangladesh shall have co-ordination meetings with their counterparts to take action against illegal liquor inflow into the state.

4. Deputy Commissioners, Superintendents of Police and Superintendents of Excise of concerned districts have been directed to establish check posts at Srirampur, Chagolia, Bokajan, Lakhipur (Cachar), Hollongi, Balijan, Banderdewa, Kimin, Harmoti, Kakoi, Siajujuli, Bhalukpung, Seijusa, Ruskin Gate, Telam Simen Chapari, Sili, Likabali, Dirak Gate (Kakopathar), Shantipur (Sadiya), Margherita, Bordumsa Gate (Digboi), Xukanpukhuri, Joypur (Naharkatia), Bogibeel, Khanapara (Guwahati) and other locations as considered vulnerable from the point of illegal liquor inflow. These check posts shall be manned by Police and Excise jointly for monitoring all transiting vehicles carrying liquor consignments.

5. Superintendents of Excise have been directed to monitor on regular basis the operations of all distilleries, breweries and bottling plants located in their jurisdiction.

6. Concerned Superintendents of Excise are also asked to keep strict vigil on the two distilleries namely Radiant Manufacture Pvt Ltd, Karbi Anglong and Brahmaputra Biochem Pvt Ltd, Kamrup to check any probable leakage of ENA.

7. Concerned superintendents of Excise shall ensure frequent and regular checking of all wholesale warehouses and retail shops located in the bordering districts.

8. Superintendents of Excise shall conduct regular enforcement drives in all vulnerable places and areas under polling stations identified as sensitive from liquor point of view.

9. The Commissioner of police, Guwahati, Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of police are also requested to notify one Nodal Officer who will share the detection and seizure data with the concerned Superintendent of Excise for compilation and uploading on the Excise ONLINE portal for onward transmission to ECI on a daily basis.

Additionally, the department has issued help line numbers for receipt of intelligence input about illegal production/storage/sale of liquor and to receive the grievances and information of violation of rule and distribution of liquor among voters to influence voting.

The helpline numbers are: 7002231557 & 7002266033
The officials who shall handle the helpline numbers are Sushanta Debnath, Assistant Inspector of Excise, EIB, Guwahati and Debasish Dey, Assistant Inspector of Excise, EIB, Guwahati.